The great commission is every Christians responsibility, whether in your own family and community or through a lifetime of cross cultural mission work.

A “short term mission” (usually lasting between one and three weeks) is the ideal means for a believer to get a taste of what life as a missionary is like. A team will usually work alongside an established ministry, providing invaluable practical and spiritual support and encouragement. At the same time, their own lives are profoundly impacted as they see God at work and discover new gifting and talents.

Short term missions also provide a safe environment from which an individual can investigate a move to full time mission work. Likewise, the exposure may help them realize that the traditional cross-cultural mission field is definitely not for them. Either way they may be mobilized to go back home and pray and raise financial support for missionaries on the field. Or they may be inspired to get involved in the ever-increasing mission field in their own country. There is no doubt that the needs are significant on all fronts.

Almost everybody who goes on a short term mission trip will tell you the same thing: they went thinking they were going to bless other people, only to come back realizing that God has blessed them much more than they were able to give.